Biocontainer

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flexible, closed container with a bottom wall, a top wall and four side walls of a substantial rectangular configuration and made of a flexible plastic sheet material, said container comprising at least a first port, said bottom, top and side walls being provided by four separate sheets which are joined together at their edges, wherein a first sheet forms said bottom wall, a second sheet forms said top wall and a third and a fourth sheet form a first and a second side wall at two opposite sides of the container, said four sheets each comprising in addition to the portions forming the bottom, top and first and second side walls integrally formed triangular or trapezoid shaped wall portions at opposite ends thereof, said triangular or trapezoid shaped wall portions form when joined together a third and a fourth side wall, respectively, wherein said bottom wall accommodates said first port in an off-center position.The inventive container requires minimal operator attention during set up and filling.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This patent application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 08 005 403.4, filed Mar. 22, 2008, which is incorporated by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates, in general, to flexible closed containers with a bottom wall, a top wall and four side walls of a substantial rectangular configuration and, more specifically, to flexible containers of a three-dimensional cuboid structure and of a large volume. The inventive containers are typically made of a multiplicity of flexible sheets of a plastic material which are bonded to one another along their edges by seams.[0003]The closed containers are filled and drained via one or more ports, at least one of them being located at the bottom wall of the container.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]Three-dimensional flexible containers of volumes of 50 liters or more, in many cases even 500 or 1000 liters or more, are needed for example in the biotech industry f...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The design minimizes operator attention during setup and filling, ensures proper positioning to prevent container failure, and maintains sterility by reducing the risk of leakage and material damage, thus ensuring the integrity of valuable liquid contents.

Problems solved by technology

The hydraulic pressure created by the large volume of liquid held by the container results in a substantial stress on the seams of the container which, in an unsupported state, might be sufficient to cause rupture of the container.

Still their dimensions are quite big and therefore not easy to handle.

The pressures and forces associated with liquid volumes hold by the containers can cause the container seams to fail or rupture causing leakage of the container even if supported by the tote if the container is not properly positioned within the tote.

Accordingly, even minor leakages can cause substantive costs.

However, having an operator pull a partially filled container to maneuver it into place is laborious and can cause failure of the container material by ripping.

Correct positioning of the container is additionally hampered by tubing which comes typically attached to the one or more ports of the container for simplified set up of the same in its laboratory or production environment.

In a number of applications the tubing includes further accessory elements like filtering devices, clamps, vents or the like which make placement of the container within the tote even more troublesome.

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